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Topic Review (Newest First)

02-26-2013 04:59 PM

urbguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxxerBoyDrew

The Tank has come a long way!!!

I really like the looks of the plant arrangement! Everything is looking very healthy!!!
Keep up the great work!!!
Drew

Thanks! It's been a while, I'll upload a quick update pic later on tonight.

02-26-2013 05:28 AM

BoxxerBoyDrew

The Tank has come a long way!!!

I really like the looks of the plant arrangement! Everything is looking very healthy!!!
Keep up the great work!!!
Drew

02-26-2013 02:51 AM

urbguy

Week 18:

Today I did my first large trimming. Everything was cut down especially the rotala. I noticed that the rotala has grown to a unmanageable length. The bottom growth suffered a lot as I can see that the bottom growth wilted and was browning. All the excess rotala trimmings were bunched up and replanted in empty spots. Fed the inhabitants to say "sorry for disturbing you" and called it a night. I do notice that all the inhabitants love to hide in the dense bacopa. Makes me smile because I've always wanted my fish to enjoy its surroundings like clown fishes. Huzzah!

02-05-2013 05:58 PM

urbguy

Week 15:

Been almost 2 weeks and there are no drastic changes. I've decided to not mess with the lights because if I had gone with 2 weeks of neglect with 3 bulbs I would have pretty much been engulfed by algae. I'd like to say that this is the first time I had to throw away my bacopa trimmings for the first time ever! I'm happy with what I have now and I don't think I need add anymore other than just keep it maintained. I'll probably start posting bi-weekly pictures starting March. I've finally run out of CO2, whatever was left. I don't think I'll buy any more refills. I'm currently still working with excel and I'm happy with that. My only concern is the fissidens. It's not growing very well and I'm not entirely sure why it isn't. I know it's ridiculously resilient, but it is turning rather dull and it doesn't look exactly healthy. Everything else is healthy but the fissidens, it seems.

01-22-2013 02:04 PM

urbguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by switch26

keep that bacopa trimmed and it should carpet and bush right up. I have bacopa in my tank and i just kept cutting and cutting and cutting.. the only issue is when it gets REALLY thick and bushy the lower levels don't get any light and yellow up so i try to keep it lower and not so super thick.

I use to dose pfertz, didn't read see if u were still dosing it, and saw some issues you had. But the normal dosing levels aren't what a heavily planted tank would require. I switched over to EI dosing and it is cheaper and i see lots of growth daily

Dosing the EI method would require higher lighting correct?

01-22-2013 12:16 PM

urbguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrangler

What light are you using again? The 4bulb fixture? Are you using all the bulbs?

Nope just using 2 of the four. Thought about upping it one more bulb but I'm super concerned about doing that.

01-22-2013 05:51 AM

wrangler

What light are you using again? The 4bulb fixture? Are you using all the bulbs?

01-22-2013 04:04 AM

switch26

keep that bacopa trimmed and it should carpet and bush right up. I have bacopa in my tank and i just kept cutting and cutting and cutting.. the only issue is when it gets REALLY thick and bushy the lower levels don't get any light and yellow up so i try to keep it lower and not so super thick.

I use to dose pfertz, didn't read see if u were still dosing it, and saw some issues you had. But the normal dosing levels aren't what a heavily planted tank would require. I switched over to EI dosing and it is cheaper and i see lots of growth daily

01-22-2013 03:18 AM

urbguy

Week 13 Update:
I reflected a bit this week about how some plants aren't flourishing, especially my dwarf sagittaria. I asked around about how the plant propagates and it seems everywhere I ask, I get the answer it takes some time and it usually ends up with you not wanting the plant anymore. It's been about 10 weeks and I noticed only a very small spread of the dwarf sagittaria. I have noticed a pretty drastic difference in growth once the CO2 was added; so maybe the dwarf sagittaria will finally take off. Aside from all that, I have added 10 more red-eye tetras and the tank looks pretty amazing. The size of the red eye tetra definitely helps fill in any voids and I am loving it.

Weekly Monday Pic:

01-16-2013 03:43 AM

urbguy

Week 12 Update:
Well my try at trying to save my air stone failed. I stuck with the one I used and its working fine. There is not much to report other than the co2 is doing its job and I've noticed an observable difference. I don't see much algae but I notice some small specs of BBA here and there. The rotala is getting considerably redder and its quite exciting to watch the plant change colors. I also noticed that the trimmed bacopa is slowly creeping which is what I want. Noticed I don't need high light for this to be achieved but I think it has something to so with the added co2. With my excess trimmings, I've sent some of them my friends way and I hope it'll do good over in his chi. I leave with my weekly Monday pic.

Weekly Monday Pic:

01-09-2013 02:20 AM

urbguy

Week 11 Update:
House work is finally dying down. The new sofas come tomorrow and IKEA this weekend...anyway, I'm really excited this this week because I finally decided to hook back up the co2 system that I purchased almost a year ago. I cranked it up to 1 bubble every 1.5 second, big whoop right? My old diffuser for some reason has clogged up, but what can I say, it's been a year. I found a regular airstone and found success! The bubbles coming out of the airstone are just as fine. I'm a bit peeved about my dwarf saggitaria and dwarf hairgrass not spreading as quickly, I hope adding some co2 can help. I took some pictures to show some closer details of the tank.

The original airstone that came with the simple co2 system is soaking in a bowl of vinegar. I hope it will help break down whatever has calcified within the stone. If it doesn't work, I'm satisfied with what I replaced the original with.

Weekly Monday Pic:

Close up of bacopa bush.

Red eye

Side view of tank.

Top view

Full view

01-02-2013 02:53 AM

urbguy

Week 10 Update:
Happy New Year!
I've been inundated with house work and haven't really had time to check out the tank. I trimmed a few here and there and replanted again as usual. I am seeing a really nice defined shrub like feature on the right side and it's exactly what I had hoped for. I am also noting that alot of the rotala in the back are coming in very nicely. I have gone 1 week without dosing ferts hoping it all gets soaked up. No algae outbreak and from what I can see the BBA is again diminishing. Not a sign of any mats of BGA and that is awesome. My tank just turned off for the night, looks like I'll go cruise around Netflix until I fall asleep.

Weekly Monday Pic:

12-25-2012 11:53 PM

urbguy

Week 9 Update:
Merry Christmas!
Upon doing some maintenance today, I have noticed a few strands of hairgrass algae growth as well as some BGA mats. This is the first time I've ever seen algae grow soo slow in my personal experience. I was able to catch the growth and remove it completely. With the addition of Excel I am able to control that to a minimum. I like this set up very much. I noticed that the growth probably means that I have a excess amount of nutrients that was not absorbed enough. I've skipped this weeks dosage.

Weekly Monday Pic:

12-21-2012 03:34 AM

urbguy

Mini Tank Update:

I wanted to point out that I recently learned that most stem plants close up leaves when the lights are off. The lights had turned off 2 hours ago, I just turned on the lights just to see if I could confirm and here is my confirmation.

Here is the rotala open.

12-21-2012 02:50 AM

urbguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by LyzzaRyzz

Pictures! Isnt it so exciting when you get a plant order? Its like Christmas and your birthday in one!

You're telling me! I'm in the process of getting the pictures uploaded.

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